Veneto Trail - Bikepacking between the Po Valley and the Dolomites

The Veneto Trail is a cycling adventure, a personal and liberating challenge to do in your own time. It conquers 500 kilometres (310 mi) and 10,000 metres (33,000 feet) of elevation, taking you from the Po Valley to the Dolomites along paths, dirt tracks and back roads. The route varies from year to year to give you the chance to discover something new each time. This is a great thing, as this region is made up of many varied and astonishing landscapes: the Prosecco hills, the Asiago plateau, the Bellunese Prealps and the Dolomites, the world-famous UNESCO Natural Heritage Site.

In this Collection, we present you all the editions of the Veneto Trail, from 2015 until today, with the exception – of course – of 2020, when the event was cancelled due to the pandemic. The images in the Tours give you a taste of what to expect.

The first three editions of the Veneto Trail, from 2015 to 2017, are different from what followed. Back then, there was more asphalt and fewer singletrack sections on the route. For this reason, these Tours are more suitable for gravel bikes. However, there are also sections where you will have to get off your bike and push, both uphill and downhill. The route of the 2016 edition consists of a lot of flat terrain and leads over fluid dirt roads and paths along river banks to the beaches of Jesolo, before heading into the Dolomites.

From the 2018 edition, the Veneto Trail became a pure MTB route: lots of off-road, relentless climbs, adrenaline-pumping descents and, of course, some carrying sections. The result is a demanding route, both technically and in terms of elevation gain. However, all your efforts are rewarded with unique and spectacular natural landscapes, among the most beautiful not only in this region but in the whole of Italy.

The ideal bike for the Veneto Trail is certainly a hardtail mountain bike, although some prefer a monstercross setup with rigid forks and wide tyres. If this is you, then your riding technique must be impeccable and you need a gear ratio that allows you to tackle the steepest climbs.

The starting and finishing point for the 2017 editions is Cittadella, a beautiful medieval fortified town in the province of Padua. It is easy to reach by numerous regional trains.

Regardless of which edition you choose, you can expect many kilometres in the high mountains. The best time to embark on this adventure without the risk of snow and cold is usually from June to September. If you want to treat yourself at the end of June, we recommend you sign up for the event and share this unforgettable experience with many other people from all over the world – you won't regret it!

Here, you can find more information (in both Italian and English) about the Veneto Trail and, if you’re inspired, register for the next edition: venetotrail.eu.